Pecorino Crotonese Cheese vs Wagashi Cheese
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is a fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm sheep-milk cheese, while Wagashi Cheese is compact and made from cow milk.
What Is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese is an Italian sheep's milk cheese and one of the pecorino varieties registered with the EU as a protected designation of origin. Pecorino is the family name for Italy's sheep's milk cheeses, and every region makes its own.
What Is Wagashi Cheese?
Wagashi is a soft cow's milk cheese from northern Benin, sold in quantity in Parakou and across the West African savanna. It is mild in flavor and almost always cooked, usually in a sauce eaten with pounded yams or millet or maize pâte.
What's the Difference Between Pecorino Crotonese Cheese and Wagashi Cheese?
- Milk type: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Whole sheep's milk), Wagashi Cheese (Cow’s milk)
- Milk treatment: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Raw, thermised, or pasteurised), Wagashi Cheese (Heated)
- Texture: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm), Wagashi Cheese (Compact)
- Rind: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs), Wagashi Cheese (red wax coating)
- Aging: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened)), Wagashi Cheese (Fresh or dried)
- Taste: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); Intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); Intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened)), Wagashi Cheese (mild)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Pecorino Crotonese Cheese | Wagashi Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Origin | Provinces Of Crotone, Catanzaro, And Cosenza | Sahel Region |
| Milk Type | Whole sheep's milk | Cow’s milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, thermised, or pasteurised | Heated |
| Texture | Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm | Compact |
| Rind | Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs | Red wax coating |
| Aging | Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened) | Fresh or dried |
| Taste | Distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); Intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); Intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) | Mild |
Taste Comparison: Does Pecorino Crotonese Cheese Taste Like Wagashi Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese reads as distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened), while Wagashi Cheese brings mild character. More specifically, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese shows sheep's milk, hay, mature wild grasses, hazelnut, smoke, while Wagashi Cheese leans toward consumed fried or cooked in sauces, rarely fresh. Aging plays into this as well. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese at fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened) develops a different profile than Wagashi Cheese at fresh or dried.
Can You Substitute Pecorino Crotonese Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese can stand in for Wagashi Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm bite and body where the recipe calls for compact. Flavor-wise, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese reads as distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) while Wagashi Cheese brings mild notes.
Which Is Better, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm cheese, go with Pecorino Crotonese Cheese. For a compact profile, Wagashi Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese suits recipes that want distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) notes, while Wagashi Cheese fits dishes calling for mild.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese the same as Wagashi Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is made from sheep milk; Wagashi Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is typically aged fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened), Wagashi Cheese fresh or dried.
Is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese similar to Wagashi Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Pecorino Crotonese Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Pecorino Crotonese Cheese taste like Wagashi Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese reads as distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened), while Wagashi Cheese is mild.
What is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese made of?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is made from sheep milk (raw, thermised, or pasteurised), using kid rennet pas rennet. It's typically aged fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened).
What is Wagashi Cheese made of?
Wagashi Cheese is made from cow milk (heated), using calotropis procera latex rennet. It's typically aged fresh or dried.
Which should I choose, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm, while Wagashi Cheese is compact.